Class 5 Why Evil and Suffering?

Transcription

1 Walking with God through Pain & Suffering Class 5 Why Evil and Suffering? Park Street Church Fall 2016

2 Tentative Schedule Oct 2: Suffering, Avoidance, & Secularism Oct 9: Forgiveness and Suffering (Knight) Oct 15: The Practice of Lament Oct 23: Theology of Retribution & the Cross Oct 30: Why Suffering and Evil? Nov 13: Suffering for Christ (Raf Martinez) Nov 20: Suffering & Evolution (Cahill) Nov 27: No Class (Thanksgiving weekend) Dec 4: Suffering & Disability (Warf) Dec 11: Becoming Worthy Counselors

3 Class 4: Initial Qualifications! Setting: class setting not actual sufferer We stand in a mystery that can only be partly grasped; Silence Avoid simplistic answers generalities vs. particular cases Each sufferer must come to discern before God the purpose of their suffering A group of seekers and learners An empty cross is the only symbol in Park St.

4 Class 4: Review Evil comes from a broken covenantal relationship with God Suffering caused by covenantal curse of of God (Gen 3:) leading to Enmity between Satan & humanity (15) Pain+ in marriage and children (16) Thorns & Thistles in the Ground (17) Toil in Work (18) Death (19)

5 Conceptual Model of Evil & Suffering (Systems Perspective) Redemptive Innocent Suffering Affliction Individual Agency Moral Evil Relationships curse Retributive Suffering Pain, Illness Natural evil Environmental Loss & Death Social Structures Demonic forces evil work Broken relationships

6 Retributive vs. Innocent Suffering Retributive Not on the scale deserved (Luke 13:1-5) The covenant curse is God s withdrawal o God gives us what we desire (Rom 1) o God s withdrawal yields suffering Stigma: sign of God s judgment (Gal 3:13) Innocent Appearance of retribution Redemptive power Stigmata: sign of God s blessing (Gal 6:17)

7 Suffering as Categorical Blessing Progressive revelation up till the cross Transformation of suffering s meaning From curse to God s blessing/presence Sacrament of atonement / bearing sin Example: Leprosy Collection of skin diseases = ceremonially unclean (Lev 13-14) Leper is sacramental reminder of sin (not a sign of that person s sin) X s Offices: Prophet, Priest, King Leper Lowly positions are places of highest honor

8 Reversal of Orders Upside-down spiritual economy: last are first Suffering is a sign that God is present Can we differentiate retributive vs. innocent suffering? o Human finitude = mis-understanding o Test / Judge yourself (Gal 6:4; 1 Cor 11:28) o Warranted to judge actions (1 Cor 5:12; 6:3) but seldom the cause for suffering 1 Cor 11:30: That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died o Spiritual presumption of innocence Has God judged the lung cancer patient?

9 Why Evil? 1. Free-Will Defense (speculative) God desires humans made in God s image to love God out of our own volition without compulsion A decision to love must allow its inverse, the human decision to rebel against God Evil exists by God s permission but not God s creation (James 1:13-14) Goodness chosen in human freedom greater than what evil jeopardizes

10 Why Evil? 2. The Necessity of Testing (speculative) Who is being tested in Job 1.9? Fear = holy awe and wonder Job: Is Job s love not motivated by the gifts of God? God: Is God worthy of our love without additional benefits? Untested love lacks certainty for motive Tested love satisfies human & angelic finite knowledge about self (God already knows!) Without testing we may still doubt our own motives to love God (explaining the test in the Eden?)

11 Why Evil? 3. God s Sovereign Good Overturns Evil (Scriptural) Signs of God s sovereign rule over evil & suffering o Joseph (Gen 50:19-20) o Ruth (Ruth 4:13ff.) o Satan & Job (Job 1-2) o Jesus (Acts 2:23) o Paul (Philippians 1:12-14) o o Romans 8:28: All things work together (συνεργέω) for good Ephesians 1:11: who works all things according to the counsel of his will Speculative God would not have allowed evil unless He could draw a greater good from it Felix culpa [happy fault] ~ from the fall of Adam, we now have union with God himself through a Better Adam The drama between beginning and end shrouded in mystery

12 Why Evil and Suffering? 4. Mysterious Wisdom of God (Scriptural) Job o God always has good reasons for suffering o Equally good reasons to not reveal it o Human knowledge is greatly limited o Reprimand not for asking questions but charging God with fault o Will you trust in and love God w/in suffering?

13 Have you seen God within your suffering? Reason / Goal* Scripture Concept 1. Call to Repent Deut 28-30; Prov 3:11-12; Jonah; Ps 90; 2 Pt 3: Display of God s Glory (witness) John 9:1-4; Ephesians 3:7-13; Job Suffering as God s call to repentance from sin A display of God s power and love; A witness to spiritual powers 3. Union with Christ 1 Pt 4:12-13: Rom 8:17-18 Redemptive suffering of X embodied and extended in our experiences 4. Spiritual Growth Heb12:3-15; 2 Cor 4:17-18; Rev 3:19 Purification of sin through Fatherly discipline Humility 2 Cor 12:7-10 Personal exaltation risks pride Patience James 1:2-4 Product of trial Hope Rom 5:2-5 Product of trial Joy 1 Pt 1:6-9; James 1:4 Product of trial 5. Mystery Job Not for us to know all God s reasons * Not mutually exclusive categories

14 Class 4: Why Suffering & Evil?

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